GOP health care plan copies Chairman Mao

Published in the Morning Call, June 23, 2008 In 1965, Communist China was one of the poorest countries of the world. Chairman Mao Tse-Tung created a program—widely known as the Barefoot Doctors program—to provide health care for his impoverished people.  The Barefoot Doctors, who had a minimal level of medical training, offered basic primary care to people for whom no other medical care was available. Continue reading

Even if the GOP Plan works, it will be inadequate

Originally published in The Harrisburg Post-Gazette, June 17, 2008 In January 2007, Governor Rendell introduced Cover All Pennsylvanians, a plan to provide health insurance coverage for the uninsured. In March 2008, the Democratic House leadership introduced a new plan, called Pennsylvania Access to Better Care, (PA ABC), to insure about 275,000 uninsured adults over the next five years. That plan passed with substantial Republican support soon after. Since March, the Senate Republican leadership has blocked consideration of this legislation. Continue reading

It's gotta be Hillary

I’ve made it pretty clear I have no love for the Clintons. But she’s got to be / is going to be the Veep. 1. Barack needs to make sure that there is a gender gap that works in his favor. With Hillary’s help, he can do much better with white women which will give him enough of the white vote to win the election. 2. Hillary is the only Veep choice that brings him a candidate who can move the base and turn people out in droves to events and fundraisers. And Bill is pretty good at that as well. 3. Hillary clearly wants it, and actually does have something of a claim to it, given the race she has run. If she doesn’t get it, she could create problems. The disadvantage is figuring out what to do with Hillary and, even more with Bill, after January. Barack will… Continue reading